Hengeyokai
by Jinoku
Summary: Bruised, battered, and dying. Ranma Saotome shares these traits with a fox spirit in the wake of a battle after becoming cursed. With its last breath, the fox saves Ranma's life, but to what effect? Inuyasha Ranma Crossover
1. New Life, New Duty

A.N.- Ok, this is my first cross over, and I'm quite happy with my story, so please review and speak your mind I'll take it to heart.

A.N.- I'll do my best to update often, as I have a little more time to write, so enjoy.

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**Hengeyokai**

Chapter one: New Life, New Duty

A small black-haired girl skulked through the back woods of China, drenched and soaking.

"Stupid old man," Ranma muttered ringing out "her" gi. "Just had ta come ta this place." She sat down on a rock and grumbled as she slipped the gi back over her body. "Ya'd think he'd have known well enough ta research why they were called cursed springs."

She hunched over, not crying, most definitely not crying. Her voice was catching because she was angry at the old man, she was not crying like some weak little girl.

The sound of a crash from the springs caught her attention and she was up and running, a look of rage on her face. That had to be the old man!

"Give up little fox!" the demon roared, laughing. "You cannot beat us, no matter what shape you take."

The demon was a form of empty black and white in the approximate shape of something human, but it had no true form. All about the scene similar demons crowded in on a red-haired woman carrying a katana. Early! They had come early, before she could find eleven others to fill all the posts of the circle. No matter how adaptable she was, they were right. Alone she couldn't take them all.

She panted and considered her options, and found herself only one. Destroy at least one of them and the invasion would be delayed. Perhaps long enough for another circle to start and finish this time. "Come on then!" she shouted, growing taller, voice roaring to match the demons as she burst into a fierce, cutting wind. "Let us see how many of you are destroyed before I die!"

"I knew you'd come back here old man!" Ranma shouted as she burst into the clearing. "Now get ready to..." She stopped as she saw that the noise had not come from her father as she had assumed, but a young man, maybe two years older than her. A young man that was currently gripping the guide by the throat.

"Stay out of this girl," the young man said, smirking confidently. "This isn't your fight."

"Hey, who you calling girl!" Ranma demanded.

"Oh, I suppose you had a dunk in the pools then," the man said.

"Yeah, whatever," Ranma snapped striding forward. "Now put the guy down and get out of here before I tear ya ta pieces."

"If you interfere with me," the man said. "Hn, you won't like it."

"Put your money wear your mouth is pal," Ranma retorted.

"If you insist," the young man said, letting go of the Jusenkyo guide. "We'll finish this after I have my fun with this fresh meat." He cracked his knuckles.

Neither warriors paid attention to their chi senses noting the fierce battle taking place in the spirit world.

The fox paused in one of her true forms, a small, red fox that looked much the worse for the wear. As her enemies searched about for her, surprised at the sudden "disappearance" of their quarry, she caught her breath. Then she returned to the astral combat, bursting into the fury of a volcano's inferno this time.

Ranma staggered backward, shaking her head. She couldn't seem to get around this guy's defenses at all. Maybe if she were still a guy she could have given him a run for his money, but as a girl. As a girl she was getting her ass handed to her. Still, a martial artist's duty was to protect, and that's what she was doing. She gritted her teeth and arranged herself to attack one last time, still wondering just why the jerk was wearing pantyhose.

She was focusing on one demon, or so she hoped, they looked relatively the same, and she thought he was weakening.

The fiery body she had taken had given way to a rocky behemoth with which she smashed into her target. Even in that form it was easy to see her wounds and fading strength. She was going to die soon, she just had to take one of them with her.

The demons and spirit barely concerned themselves with the mortal battle taking place adjacent to there own.

"Give up, little girl," the young man taunted, finally breathing heavily himself. "Your good, but you just got that body, and you haven't trained in it. There's no way you can beat me."

"I don't lose, jerk," Ranma spat, standing up despite the pain that seemed to be coming from everywhere.

"Do you want me to kill you?" the young man asked.

"Don't think I won't do it."

"I ain't letting you rob that guy," Ranma insisted.

"What concern of yours is that?" the man asked.

"Martial artist's duty, pantyhose-freak," Ranma snapped. The young man's smirking, superior expression vanished.

"Oh...now you will die," he promised coolly.

The form she had saved for last, empowered by the water magic of the region, a standing whirlpool of water, was now in play. And she was dying yes, but she could feel her opponent's desparation as well. He would die with her, and it would be another hundred years before they could invade.

Then the demon noticed what was happening in the mortal world, and acted.

_Ah shit_, Ranma thought to herself as she felt her arm snap. She gritted her teeth and kicked upward into her attackers groin. _That'll hurt. _

Still, whatever she had said, she had pissed off the young man finally, and he had charged in blindly. As the bandit doubled over in pain and released her from the hold he had been trying to place around her, she followed up the strike. Leaping into the air and coming down into an ax kick that drove the jerk into the ground.

Just for good measure, and to be sure he wouldn't get up, Ranma took a book from a soccer player he had met once and smashed the young man's head.

"That should keep him unconscious a while," Ranma gasped. "I told you, Ranma Saotome doesn't..." A dark miasma surrounded her opponent suddenly. "...lose?"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" the young man laughed loudly as he snapped awake, standing up in front of Ranma as if nothing Ranma had done had hurt him. "My thanks mortal, for weakening this vessel enough for me to take him."

"What are you talking about?" Ranma asked nervously, getting into the best stance she could. She wasn't chi blind, and though her senses weren't masterfully attuned yet, she recognized a demon when she saw one. She hadn't seen one quite like this before though.

"In thanks I will just kill you," the young man said. Suddenly he was growing into something huge and bestial. Ranma could only stare momentarily before the creature slammed an arm forward throwing Ranma back through the trees.

The minotaur like beast flexed its muscles inquisitively after watching the little mortal girl's flight. There had been so many other things he would like to have done with her, including use her as a host for one of his comrades. Still, a promise was a promise.

_Such pleasant powers this mortal has. Though when his spirit recovers their may be trouble. Perhaps a deal is in order_, he smiled and started to take flight for the East.

The plan would be delayed, until he could find hosts or bodies for his other comrades and have them all on the same plane of existence. But it would not be as long delayed as the fox had obviously hoped.

The fox had reacted with surprise when her target simply vanished from the spirit realm. She barely caught sight of it's dark soul appearing in the mortal realm before her other enemies started tearing into her, catching her in her distraction.

The laughed at the small, bleeding fox as she shrank down into her hybrid form, dying and incapcitated.

"We shall meet our comrade in the mortal realm soon," they laughed. "And then this whole universe shall be for the likes of us. Have fun in your last moments fox."

They faded away, letting the fox crawl off, hoping to find someway to live. Surely they had defeated her well enough that she wouldn't be a problem. And with her gone, no other Earth spirit knew of their coming, they were assured of victory.

Ranma was dying, she could feel her life leaking away. And what was worse was that she would die as a girl. Still, she took comfort in the fact that it had taken a demon to beat her, after she had already fought as well.

Well, she wouldn't let death beat her easily, either. She would shut down a number of her systems and gear her body toward healing and, failing that, maintenance. Maybe she could hold on long enough for somebody to find her and help her. Maybe.

As she faded away her vision started to blur and she could see something crawling toward her, but certainly that was just her imagination. Ranma shut her eyes as everything started turning to black.

The fox hesitated as she reached the girl, or boy rather she could see both forms. The mortal's spirit was hanging on tenaciously with the sort of determination only that race of heros and villains could attain.

Still, she was going to die. The fox thought she could hold on another hour, maybe two, but nobody would find her in time to help her. The other mortal in the area was out cold from some attacker as well. She didn't have much time to do this, so she had to make her decision quickly. The time of mortals and spirits mixing was long past, but if she took this route it would begin again. For this mortal would have to find eleven more mortals to impart a shard of hengeyokai life force to. Twelve mortals, twelve animal spirits, to fight the twelve demons seeking to break their universe.

It had to be done. She would die, but first she would merge her life force into this mortal and impart as much of her knowledge as she could before her soul left for the heavens. And the first mortal hengeyokai in three hundred years would be born.

Ranma sat bolt upright as something seemed to be flow into her. She arched her back, mouth open silently in shock and surprise before screaming in outright terror.

She'd just seen a man possessed, was that what was happening to her now? Was something going to turn her into a hell-bent monster? The terror subsided as images and things began to slam into her head. Images of demons and the end of worlds, her own and the kami plane. Snippets of secrets known by a master shape-shifter. Most important of all, the urge, the need, the awareness that there needed to be eleven others, and how to recruit them.

Then it was over as something seemed to pass on, a desperate and sad spirit fading into the ether. Fading away with one message.

"Stop them before its too late," the woman called out.

"What the hell?" Ranma asked as she tried to sort out what she'd learned.

"There you are boy!" a voice shouted just before hot water was thrown over him. "What are you doing just..."

"Hey!" Ranma shouted. "What did you do that for?"

"You didn't change back!" Genma blanched, what was he going to tell Nodoka. "And why is your hair red now."

"Change back?" Ranma snorted. "What do you mean change back...how come you're not a panda?"

"But, but," Genma blubbered, trying to get across the idea that hot water was supposed to change Ranma back.

"Never mind, Pop," Ranma snapped. "I figure it out later. Now we gotta do some heavy training, because I just nearly got myself killed trying to take on this jerk who has the gall to get himself possessed by a demon just after a knocked his ass to the ground."

"But, but, but," Genma continued. Ranma frowned, apparently she wasn't going to get any sense out of her pop until she changed back into a guy.

"Of all the," Ranma muttered. "It's my girl body, I gotta train." She shook her head as she willed the change, not thinking about exactly how she knew to do that. It was natural that was all.

Genma stared as his red-haired daughter became a red-haired son.

"Now, pop," Ranma said. "I'm serious, gotta do a lot of training, cause there's some fights coming up that are gonna get messy. Pop?"

But Genma had fainted.

"Ahh, now what am I going to..." Ranma paused and considered what had just happened. "Errr...how did I do that?"

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Alright, I hope you's like it so fare, plz review and the next chapter will be coming quick. 


	2. First of The Recruits

A.N.- Alright, the second chapter didn't take me as long to write as I'd thought so here you go, also I'm currently doing anime interviews from the twilight story if you have any anime characters you'd like us to interview, email me Jinoku at Plasmataintedsoulhotmail.

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Hengeyokai

Chapter 2: First of The Recruits

"I told you, Pop," Ranma said. "I can't teach you, I didn't really learn it, it just happened!." Ranma frowned; he hated getting knowledge like that. He didn't understand the basis of it, and couldn't repeat the information to anybody.

He knew how to intact change forms between most any animal from the size of a mouse to the size of a large bear. He just didn't understand how it happened, and hadn't taken the chance to try out these new tricks to see if he could reverse engineer the knowledge.

At the moment he was staying in one of his six "true" forms, trying to remember exactly what happened. He remembered the demon, he remembered some...thing entering him, her at the time, and then a blur of images followed by his pop splashing him with hot water.

There was a certain degree of urgency involved here, something about that demon and the end of the worlds that he had to do something to stop. It had been all so clear for a moment and then, gone, a confused jumble.

"Sirs, perhaps there is help in the surrounding villages," the Guide suggested. "The Amazon elders have great stores of knowledge about Jusenkyo."

Ranma nodded politely, that wouldn't help his situation. Jusenkyo was a shape changing magic, but something else had made him a natural shape changer, something the curse would usually just roll right off of. Of course, the curse had made one parting shot, which is why Ranma had six forms he considered true and natural rather than the standard three for a hengeyokai.

"Amazons," Genma scoffed. "How would a bunch of women help us?"

"Oh very powerful, sirs, very strong," the Guide explained. "They have much wisdom gathered over three thousand years."

"Sounds good," Ranma said. "An' then maybe on the way I can figure out what the trick to this is." _I'll need to learn more, I might need to teach one of the others. _

Ranma paused as he tried to remember what others. Whatever that spirit had done before she died, and Ranma was sure she died, he wished she could have gone about it in a better way.

There is no way Ranma could, or would unless desperate, teach someone the same way. The most he would impart was a basic instinct to such between the natural forms. If they wanted to become master shape shifters, well, they'd just have to wait until he learned how he did what he did. Ranma did NOT like instant ability like this. It completely messed his ability to judge what was possible.

"What are saying boy," Genma demanded. "We don't have time to be stopping so you can sow some oats."

"Ehh? I know why I want to hurry, why do you?" Ranma asked. "Never mind, pop, there'll be food there."

"What are we doing just standing their boy?" Genma demanded. "Get moving to that village!"

Ranma walked behind Genma, so he could keep an eye on the old fart, and practice a little undisturbed. First thing she had discovered was that her male and female bodies were in approximately the same physical condition, though SHE was faster and HE was stronger.

It was also apparent to him that exercise in one form did not necessarily carry over to the other except in small amounts. This was both good and bad. It was good in that he always had a tremendous reserve of endurance to fall back on. It was bad in the fact that that meant he'd have to train in both forms equally hard.

That meant twice the amount of work for the same increase. Or he could ignore one side and just improve the other, but that would negate the benefit of having a reserve of endurance. She'd have to see if there would be similar problems for maintaining her power in any of her other forms as well, but it felt like it was mainly a male/female problem.

That wasn't the only change, he/she felt as she changed behind her father. Ranma's chi control was much better and her chi had been heightened greatly. There was also a very strong elemental nature to her aura, and not of any one particular element either. He'd have to play around with his chi a little to figure out what he could and couldn't do now.

Then there was the amusing fact that her yang chi became dominant in her female form, while her yin chi turned dominant in her male form. Apparently the universe had a sense of humor.

That brought up the last major change Ranma could identify. SHE wasn't having a hissy fit about being a girl. This was further pointed out by the fact that she was using the term hissy fit in her thoughts. Really, this form felt just as natural to her as her male form.

She did manage to grumble a little at that, voicing some remembered dislike of any trace of femininity. The universe really did have a sense of humor. She was brought out of her reverie in time to note her father brush a branch out of the way and get drenched with some old rainwater that had apparently been sitting on the large leaves.

"Good one, Pop," Ranma smirked as the village came into sight. The panda glared at her and then started a tirade that was obviously centered on Ranma being female. "Quiet Pop, we're getting into town."

She looked around and noted some sort of tournament was going on. She scanned the crowd and noted a bench full of food, and was about to approach it when she noted the sign on the bench marking it as "First Prize."

"Huh," Ranma said, not bothering to realize that she shouldn't know Chinese of any dialect. "I'll have to look for food elsewhere."

Ranma paused as her recently enhanced chi senses picked up on something in the area. She hadn't found it yet when she noted one of the contestants, and behind her in the crowd. She could find that big chi aura in a moment, probably an elder and unsuitable, but...

"Two and three," Ranma whispered, only barely aware of what he meant by that. Then she frowned. "Ohhh...she did NOT just call me that."

Cologne turned as she felt the strong chi that had entered the village. It wasn't entirely human, seemingly tied into the elements that made up the world and life. Finding the outsider was the nearest thing to instantaneous she had ever accomplished.

The red head started for the first prize table, making Cologne's mouth quirk up. Perhaps the spirit folk, or whatever she was, would give her granddaughter a taste of humility. That was not to be however, as the girl stopped and shrugged. Cologne sighed for the lost chance at some amusement and continued to watch the stranger.

The girl suddenly started looking about the area as she felt Cologne, or perhaps some other of the elders. Then the girl's eyes stopped, focused on the tournament and the crowd beyond. She blinked a moment, and Cologne watched her mouth three words in Japanese.

Looking down the line of the girl's sight, Cologne found Shampoo awaiting her next round, and behind her Mousse cheering her on.

_What interest does that girl have in my granddaughter_, Cologne wondered as Shampoo stepped up to her next, and final round. Then fate stepped in.

"Looks like I finally get to drive your high bred skull into your neck, Xian Pu," the giant was saying with a smirk.

"In your dreams, Dou Lu," Shampoo answered back.

"You can't possibly beat Xian Pu, Dou Lu," Mousse declared.

"Mu su, stay out of women's business," Shampoo said coolly and with a hint of disdain. "Go bother the outsider girl over there."

"An outsider?" Dou Lu frowned.

They all remembered last year when two guards had failed in their posts to do some gambling instead. A group of slavers armed with guns had attacked and killed a number of warriors before they could be put down.

"She's with the Jusenkyo Guide," Shampoo said, waving her hand.

"Probably here on business or something. What, Dou Lu is afraid of a measly Japanese bitch?" Dou Lu grumbled at the insult, but couldn't think of a retort.

"She's looking this way," Mousse noted. "And she doesn't look happy."

"Oh forget her," Shampoo said. "I want to get to my prize."

She jumped to the log and waited for Doll.

"It isn't your prize yet puny girl," Doll growled, following.

Ranma watched as the purple haired girl fought the giant on the log. She shivered slightly as she watched Shampoo, not from the thought of facing the girl. Rather it was two things that had her uncomfortable. The first was the act that she had to do to make the two hengeyokai like her. She had never kissed anyone before. What happened when, not if, they took it the wrong way? And what if she did it wrong and they thought it was gross or something? Would she go through life being known as a bad kisser?

The second reason was the animal spirit that Shampoo was most allied with. This was far more intimidating to Ranma's mind, though for once the very thought didn't send him screaming in fear. She'd just have to remember to ask somebody else to work with the girl more often.

_Why a cat? _She asked. She had power though, and tenacity. That was very good for what was coming. Ranma frowned and wished she could put together more than a fragment thought of what was coming.

"Uh, sir," the Guide said behind him. "What you doing?" Ranma turned around to see his father demolishing the first prize feast amongst the stares of many Amazons.

"KUSO-OYAJI!" Ranma shouted just before the table exploded as a bonbori impacted it.

"Why did you let your panda eat my prize?" Shampoo demanded. Ranma was about to answer when the Guide translated.

_Hmm, probably a good idea to let them think I don't know the language for now_, Ranma said, then realized that she knew the language. She blinked, growled about instant knowledge and then spoke to the guide. "Could you try to explain Pop to her?"

Ranma smacked her father on the head and growled at him. The panda grumbled as if to ask what that was for.

"That was the prize for the tournament jerk!" Ranma explained. The girl spoke again.

"She say give her panda as payment," the Guide said.

"Can't do that," Ranma said. The Guide translated.

"Then she say if you beat her then the prize would be yours," the Guide says.

"A duel for the feast, eh?" Ranma asked listening to the various comments around her. Something about a no-win situation and the kiss of death. _Well, that's convenient...just have to make sure I win. Should be easy. _

That powerful aura approached again and he saw a withered old woman sitting on a stick, judging by the auras, she was related to the girl. Then that boy she had seen earlier approached and glared at her, making overly protective comments under his breath.

"I'm game." Ranma fought to keep her smirk in place as she answered, wondering if either of the other people would interfere. She considered her plan carefully, viewing as she would any battle. Only the rules and goals of this battle were vastly different.

Cologne pogoed forward to watch the situation with a sense of concern. The redhead was an unknown quantity, and she had not missed that the girl did not need to be told that the feast was a prize. Which probably meant that she was going into this with eyes wide open about the Kiss of Death.

Cologne moved to her daughter and laid a hand on her arm.

"Be careful young one," Cologne warned. "I suspect there is a trap in this game for you."

"The trap is for her, Grandmother," Shampoo insisted. "She loses, she dies. She wins; she still dies when I kill her later. Besides, is too late now, I offered, she accepted. I can't back out now."

"That is true," Cologne nodded. "But you should know that your opponent is only partially human, there is a touch of something in her that has not been common since the days I was born." Shampoo blinked and looked at the red-haired girl more cautiously now.

"She is still somewhat human," Shampoo said finally. "She can die."

"But Xian Pu, if the old monkey is right then you could be killed!" Mousse moaned. That settled Shampoo's mind, a bonbori smash to Mousse's head later and she was on the log.

Genma meanwhile sat and peacefully munched while Amazons were visually measuring him for a throw rug. He was quite confident in his son's ability to win, and settled down to watch the show.

As expected it was short, sweet and to the point. Within a few seconds Ranma had kicked the purple-haired girl off the log and to the ground. She landed and a sour looking woman stepped forward to raise her hand as the victor.

Shampoo shook her head clear as she stood up and glared before smirking and striding toward the girl. Ranma turned to face Shampoo, seeming totally naive on the surface, but Cologne could feel her preparing her chi. Shampoo laid a hand on the girl's chin and started to place the Kiss of Death. Cologne's eyes bulged as the red-head's chi concentrated enough to be visible to her and then traveled up the throat towards the mouth. But she didn't have time to warn Shampoo. Shampoo was surprised when the girl swiftly turned her head so that her kiss wasn't placed on the Outsider's cheek as planned. When the girl grabbed her, gently but firmly holding her in place, she was even more surprised. Then came the kiss.

It was like molten rock and freezing sleet being rammed down her throat while animals howled into the night sky. It was ecstatic and painful all at once. Then it was over.

"I'm sorry, little sister," the outsider girl said in Chinese. She spoke sadly, formally and quietly as Shampoo started to crumple to the ground, feeling very sick. The girl lowered her gently. "But you're needed." Shampoo passed out of consciousness, and missed all that happened after.

Then Guide was grabbing the Panda and the Outsider and dragging them out of the village.

"VERY bad, very bad sirs," the Guide said. Ranma wasn't paying attention to the Guide; she had one more thing to say.

"And don't even THINK about sending that puny wannabe warrior BOYFRIEND Mustcache or whatever," Ranma shouted in Chinese. "Ain't no way HE can come close to beating me!"

"Sirs, you is very crazy no?" the Guide asked as they hard a male voice screamed and charged forward.

"I need to talk at that guy," Ranma said shrugging as she started running on her own. "You guys go on ahead, I'll slow him up."

"You sure, sir?" the Guide asked before noticing that the panda was already well down the path back towards Jusenkyo.

A raven flew in through the Guide's window and landed on the floor to turn into the panda man's son. Ranma's father answered this bit of sensory information with the option of fainting.

"Young sir, you is alive?" the guide said wonderingly.

"How you change to bird?" the Guide asked. "Jusenkyo?" He had thought that the pools mixed, not replaced old curses.

"Jusenkyo can't touch me," Ranma said. "And I changed to a bird when I took out Mousse."

"Oh, sir, you not worried about them coming for you?" the Guide asked as Ranma calming started fixing dinner.

"If I heard right, those two will be the only ones coming," Ranma said softly, irritably. He sounded like someone hired to do a very dirty job. "An' what I did to them will take a little longer to work itself out than what happened to me. About two days I think."

Cologne watched over Shampoo as she shook and shivered. A fever was raging through her body, and her chi was transforming out of control. That outsider girl had definitely laid a trap for Shampoo, though Cologne had seen the look of remorse that followed the kiss.

"What do you think it is elder?" one of the others asked. Cologne shrugged.

"Perhaps this is a technique called the Kiss of Death and the outsider was defending her life," Cologne said. "But the girl showed an interest in Shampoo from the moment she saw my granddaughter. I do not yet know her intentions." A few more Amazons arrived, bearing a stretcher with Mousse in a similar state of affairs.

"We found him about two miles outside of the village," the women said. "It looks as if he had been defeated and immobilized before receiving that...attack." They didn't know what else to call it. "Apparently she had an interest in Mousse as well," Cologne said, looking over the blind boy's chi. "What was she here for?"

Doll watched smugly at the insensate pair of Amazons in the infirmary. She would never have fallen for such a cheap trick. Still the girl had humiliated her in front of the village. Out powering HER, she was the strongest of the village, not that little runt. Perhaps she should try to mix something into the girl's medicine.

Paza! And there it is chapter to…no…too?…Wait no…two! Sorry I was stuck for a moment Hoped you's liked it, plz review.


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